"Another chance to work on something," Manning said of the game. "It's just been such a fast-break year. (Offensive coordinator) Mike McCoy is trying to cram five years of experience into one year. I wish we would have played more in the preseason, had those repetitions."

Manning's previous employer, the Indianapolis Colts, habitually sat him late in the year during their annual runs to the playoffs. Manning saw little to no action in Week 17 in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The only year the Colts played Manning in the finale was 2006, the year he led Indy to a Super Bowl win.

The Broncos don't have a choice. Still fighting for a bye in the AFC, Denver cannot afford to toy with fate. Remember, this is the same Romeo Crennel-led Chiefs squad that prevented the Green Bay Packers from going 16-0 last season. A mysterious bunch, but we don't expect the Broncos to have any problems moving to 13-3 on the season.